Family ties
by LovelessDestiny
Summary: Clint/Phil, slash. Phil has a daughter, she accepts Clint as part of her life until Loki almost destroyed their life. She blames him and he takes the blame. Phil stands in the middle. I finally found the time to fix a 'few' mistakes.


Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rating: T

Pairing: Clint/Phil

Warning: Violence, family quarrel, they have a daughter Kate (I was thinking of Bishop).

A./N.: I had a dream and wrote it down. That's all I can say. Tree stories in one week, wow. But sick leave is over and the sinusitis almost gone so updates approximately once a week again.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Clint visited his boyfriend in medical. Loki did a number on the older man but against all odds he was still very much alive. Phil told him that it wasn't time for him to go. He had duties. One of this duties was taking care of Clint. They were together for ten years now. His second duty was to protect his child. Phil had a fling four years before they got together and sired a baby girl. Her mother died when Kate was two and she started living with Phil. Coulson was a great dad, loving and a tower of strength for both of them. Kate took a liking on the archer even before he entered a relationship with her dad. She used to sit on his lap while they watched Phil work through his paperwork. They played in the park outside of HQ and they caused some mischief, terrorizing the fledglings.

Since Loki's attack nothing was as it had been before. Kate blamed him for what happened to Phil and she had every right to. Clint blamed himself and knew it was justified. He led Loki on board of the Helicarrier, he destroyed the security system, he killed fellow agents and failed having Phil's back. His lover was so desperate that he confronted Loki on his own, with the intention to save as many people as possible. Clint admired that, Phil was selfless. He gave and gave and gave not asking for anything in return.

"What are you thinking about?" Phil studied his lover's features.

"Nothing much," Clint forced a smile on his face. Kate had yelled at him that morning, reminding him of how uneducated and stupid he was.

Flashback::::::::::::::

"Good morning baby girl," Clint made breakfast. "Stop glaring at me and eat. You have to leave soon or you're running late." She was at the top of her class, of course she was. She was a Coulson after all.

"I'm not hungry," she sat down anyway. The fact that he knew things without even looking never stopped to give her the creeps.

He didn't like it but let it go, this time. "Ready for your presentation about human rights?" She had worked hard on that presentation not only to get good grades but because she believed in it.

"What do you know?" She grumbled.

"You're part of my life Kate, I'm truly interested in things like your homework."

"Yeah but in the end it's dad who has to help me because you never visited a school."

Clint almost dropped the spatula, that had hurt. He might have never made it far in school but he wasn't too dumb. "We did math together and physics."

"Still surprised how you managed that," she aimed to hurt. He almost got her dad killed because he was too weak to withstand the idiot of God. Almost losing her father gave her a scare and the only way she had to cope with it was lashing out on him. It wasn't entirely fair but she felt like Clint failed them. He promised her to always protect her dead, even with his life and in the end it was him who almost took Phil's life.

Clint took a deep breath, the heavy feeling in his chest threatened to suffocate him.

"Get ready Kate, you have five minutes left. I drop you off on my way to Stark." They kept their apartment even though Tony offered them a place to stay. Phil wanted as much normalcy for his daughter as possible.

"I visit dad after school so I will be late," she looked away from him. The tension in his back told her that he wasn't happy with her right now.

"Tell him I come by tomorrow after the meeting with Nick," he lied about meeting with Stark this morning but she hadn't to know that. The first time they visited Phil together she ordered him to leave the room. She yelled at him to stay away from her precious dad until she could be sure that he was not dangerous. So they rarely went together.

The drive to school was uncomfortable and filled with silence, "Have a nice day Kate. Good luck with your presentation."

"You don't need luck for such things, you just have to be smart."

Clint flinched barely visible, he knew what she intended to say. She knew him and his weak spots. She knew he was ashamed that he was a high school dropout. She knew he considered himself an idiot who was just smart enough to get a job done. Wait, aim, kill.

"Love you Kate," it was barely more than a whisper but she picked up on it, ignoring it. Her posture stiffened for a fraction before she turned around and entered the building without a word. He watched her interact with her friends on her way inside, she smiled. He missed that smile a lot. She used to smile at him every day, talking about this and that. There used to be joy and love in her eyes whenever she looked at him.

:::::::::::::::End Flashback

"Don't lie," Phil shifted to find a more comfortable position.

"Do you need something against the pain?"

"No, there's no need for that. The scar tissue aches, makes my movements stiff."

"Oh, okay," Clint took Phil's hand. "Your doc says I can take you home tomorrow or the day after."

"Yeah, he said I have a long way to go, PT and all, but I will be fine before the year ends." He couldn't figure out what it was that bothered his archer.

"Kate comes by after school, she holds a presentation about human rights. I think she will be called up to join the UNO before her lesson ends," Clint joked. His eyes betrayed how much he loved that girl, even though she wasn't his own.

"She's still determined to become a second Hawkeye," Phil missed the flash of hurt in his lover's eyes.

"Two Hawkeyes," Clint covered his hurt, "I think that would be too much for the world to handle. I mean you constantly bitch about me and Tony getting along too well."

"You are a danger to society," Coulson chuckled. Both of them together let Loki seem like a choirboy.

"I know," Clint grinned not a wee bit sorry. "You should rest, I have to be at Stark Tower in thirty."

"Be careful okay?"

"Always," Clint kissed Phil. "Don't annoy the nurses while I'm gone."

"Barton," Phil said dead serious. "That's your job."

The archer laughed out loud, patting Phil's leg before he left to meet Tony.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

"I'm going with you," Kate announced, taking her bow.

"Definitely not," Clint blocked her way. "You're not old enough."

"They're destroying parts of Brooklyn," she wanted to save the world too. She wanted to protect her dad.

"We don't have time for this baby girl, you're not going. That's my last word." Clint took the bow out of her hands.

"You have no right to tell me what to do, when I say I want to go to keep dad safe then I mean I want to go. I give a damn about what you think about it," she screamed. Before she could think twice about what she was going to say the words passed her lips, "You're not my dad!"

The silence was deafening. Phil was on the phone with Steve, making orders and coming up with plans as Kate dropped the bomb. Even Steve fell silent on the other end of the line.

She winced inwardly at the pain her words caused in her second dad's eyes. She instantly regretted what she had said but it was too late to take it back.

Clint stood in front of her, bow still in hand. He stared at her, lips slightly parted, wearing a shocked expression.

"You're staying here, I'm with Clint on that one," Phil's tone was hard as steel. "Go into your room. Now."

She wanted to argue but decided against it. Her dad was angry, very angry.

"Clint?" Phil placed a hand on the archer's bicep after she left the room.

"Let's go," Clint hid his pain away, behind the mask Phil knew so well. His lover was Specialist Barton, there was no trace of Clint left. "What are your orders, sir?"

"Kick their asses," Phil pecked him on the cheek. "Come."

Kate sat on her bed, arms wrapped around her knees. She felt terrible. _What was I thinking? Damn, I hate to see him this way. Like a kicked puppy. _

The worst thing was that she had lied. Clint's opinion mattered to her. She considered him her dad. He was part of her life for so long and had every right to treat her like his child. He never tried to replace her mother or erase her from Kate's life. He picked up the duty to be a good stepdad, without demanding anything in return. He let her decided how far she was willing to let him in. She had asked her dad once about Clint's family because the archer never spoke about them and she had never met a relative. Phil took her aside and told her very carefully that Clint was an orphan. That meant he was alone, no parents and in his case no relatives at all. He had a brother but he was a criminal and died before she was born. Phil told her that they were Clint's family now because anybody deserved to have a family. _Oh I hate myself._

After the battle was done Phil invited his archer for dinner. They chose their favorite restaurant.

"She didn't mean it," Phil said after the waitress served their food.

"It doesn't work," Barton shoved his food around on his plate.

"I noticed," Phil hadn't commented on it but he had seen that the relationship between Clint and Kate had changed during his stay at the hospital. Six months passed since Loki's attack, and five of them he had spent in ICU, before he could leave medical. He had hoped they would sort it out, whatever it was. He didn't notice at first because Clint had a busy schedule and Kate had gone to school so he didn't consider it strange that they almost never visited him at the same time. He believed them when they told him the other one was busy and everything was fine at home. The first time he noticed something was off was four days after he got released. Kate made snippy comments about Clint's education. The next day she declined his offer to teach her a few new archery tricks. Three days after that he watched them quarrel about her duties at home. Clint asked her to take the trash out and she replied that he could do it himself. Birds of a feather flock together after all. It was the first time Phil interfered, grounding her for a week. Clint took her side and tried to make Phil believe that she hit puberty, she was supposed to bitch about everything.

"We should take a break," Clint interrupted Phil's thoughts. "I don't mean we should break up." He added as Phil's expression suggested that his heart was breaking.

"What else do you mean?" It was suddenly hard to breath.

"I think it's better when I move in with the Avengers for a while. She needs some space."

"Okay," Phil wasn't happy but continuing like this was not an option either. They tried to talk, he tried to push them together but all his plans failed. Maybe some time apart was necessary.

"I love you Phil," Clint needed him to know. "And I will never leave you but your daughter is more important. I noticed that your relationship with her suffers under our dispute. I don't want you to lose her. I know you love me but I know too that I'm not the one you will choose should you ever have to."

"Clint," Phil said in a pained voice. The archer was right if Kate would ask him to choose he would choose her.

"It's okay Phil," Clint gave him a reassuring smile. "I come and get my stuff when she's at school."

Phil nodded, taking Clint's hand. Ignoring the glares they got. "Call me, whenever you need me. Just give me a call and I'll come."

"We work together Phil, I can see you all day," that was all that held him together.

"I love you Clint," Coulson opened the first two buttons of his shirt and removed his old dog-tags from around his neck. "Take care of them for me."

"Not a ring but they do the trick too," Clint held them tight. "See you tomorrow." He pecked Phil on the lip before he left to meet with Fury.

_A ring_, Phil buried his face in his palms, _I have a ring, bought it two days before Loki took you away from me. I know how much you want to tie the knot. _Phil sighed, it felt like a break up even though it was meant to be temporary. _I'm sorry_.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The first thing Kate noticed as she entered the apartment after school was the absence of Clint's leather jacket on the coat hook. It was too warm for a jacket but she didn't think much of that. The second anomaly was the absence of books in one of the bookshelves in the living room. She shrugged and headed for her room to start her homework.

"You're home early," Phil leaned against her doorframe.

"Aunt Nat cancelled our shopping tour," she put down her pen. "She was angry about something."

Phil couldn't suppress the hint of a smile. It was good to know Clint had Natasha in his life, while he would choose his daughter over the archer Natasha would choose Clint over everyone. "How was school?"

"Boring, Ms. Blake talked about hawks and their meaning for our country, because they grace flags, yadda yadda yadda, she talked for two hours. Two!" Biology wasn't her favorite lesson and in combination with an excursion into politics even less.

Phil's heart constricted painfully at the mention of hawks, "sounds like an informative day," he joked.

"Ha-ha," she sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"Tony blew up one of our labs and they had to close HQ for the day to get rid of the slimy mass that wobbled through the corridors."

"Ah, uncle Tony," she smiled fondly. She loved her uncles, especially Tony and uncle Bruce. She liked Captain America too but he was the loving one, she preferred the mischievous ones.

Aunt Natasha was special too, she taught her how to defend herself and twist men around her finger. Dad threatened to send her to Siberia more than once. "Where is Clint?" They hadn't talked about what happened the day before. Her dad came home after midnight, exhausted and brooding. She didn't dare to approach him.

"He's busy," he wasn't ready to talk about it. He knew it was selfish but he just lost his lover, partly, and he had no idea how to deal with that. Last night had been lonely. The bed was too big and cold without the archer by his side.

"Okay," she said sadly. "Can you help me with this?" She held up her math homework.

"Sure," Phil stepped into the room and avoided the bow in the corner of her room.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Hey Clint," Tony said cheerful. "Do you need anything?"

"No, the apartment is perfect," he assured. "I have all I need."

"You're a bad liar my friend," Tony put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you don't want our help?"

"I don't think you can help. She's a teenager, they're unpredictable," he forced out a laugh. "She is right you know."

"With what?" Steve entered the room, he eavesdropped for a few minutes and knew exactly what was going on. He had heard Kate yell at him and he knew Clint well enough by now to know how much it affected him.

"I failed him. It's my job as an agent and as his boyfriend to protect him. I failed, big time."

"It wasn't your fault." Steve was sure about that.

"Mind control or not, fact is I led him into the Helicarrier and provided him with everything he needed. Information, tactics and brute force."

"Fact is he controlled you and stripped you of the ability to think for yourself," Tony argued. "He used you like a puppet, pulling the strings the way he saw fit."

"I can still hear him sometimes," the archer confessed. "Whispering in my mind. Don't get me wrong he is gone but the memory still lingers." He tipped against his temple. "I see him at night haunting my dreams, laughing at me for being so easy to control. Mocking me for heaving heart."

"Does your shrink know about these dreams?" Steve pulled Clint against his broad chest, against his will, but he gave up the struggle. Steve was warm and radiated something that calmed him down. The super soldier was a good man. Strong and forgiving.

"He knows, I'm not sure he cares."

"I can get you a new one," Tony offered.

"I don't want a new one, I always get a new one. Six shrinks in over ten years. I had one I liked, we got along well but she got killed four years ago during an attack at HQ. She was a nice lady." Her smile was motherly, her tongue sharp. She wasn't afraid to tell him off, she wasn't afraid of accusing him of lying. She cared for him, waiting patiently for him to open up. She never told him how his silence and his lies were a waste of her time.

"We will be your shrinks then," Tony stated and meant it.

Clint chuckled, "good god. I'm doomed."

"We are a team Clint. I would go so far and say we are a family. We protect each other not only in the field but at home too." Steve was so god damn kind hearted and stubborn that Clint couldn't bring it over him to say no.

"Thank you," the archer felt better. "Gym?"

"I'd love to," Cap smiled and guided his young friend to the gym.

Tony watched them go, "What do you think?"

Natasha appeared out of nowhere, "I'm glad I decided to put my trust in you."

"He will be fine," Tony was sure. "We just have to push Kate in his direction."

"I don't think we have to," the girl sounded sad while they talked over the phone. "They shared a life for ten years, I can't believe that ties can be so easily broken." Not in their case.

"Nonetheless I will forge out plans," Tony smirked but Natasha could see it was fake. The worried look in his eyes gave him away.

"Do that," she replied before she joined Cap and Clint in the gym.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Dad," Kate knocked on her father's bedroom door.

"Come in," Phil said sleepily. "What's wrong?" He rubbed his eyes.

"I can't sleep," she stood in the doorway.

"Come here," he patted at the empty spot next to him.

She entered with a frown, "Where is Clint?" She looked around searching for the archer. Something seemed different but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Phil rested his back against the headboard, "He moved out this morning."

"What?" She sat down on Clint's side of the bed. Now that she knew she could see the changes. His favorite book was gone, it normally lay on the nightstand next to a picture showing all three of them. The picture was gone too. The missing jacket and missing books made sense now. "Why?"

"For us," he couldn't look at his daughter.

"For us?"

"You're fighting for months Kate, he can't take it anymore. He made the decision because he feels like his presence destroys our relationship too. We too fight more often, because of him."

"So you choose me?" She felt tears sting in her eyes.

"I would have," Phil finally looked at her. "But I didn't need to, because he made the choice for me. He knows that I will choose you so he took the matter out of our hands and left."

The tears spilled over, running down her cheeks, "I made him go away?!"

Phil remained silent, that was enough of an answer.

"Where is he?"

"He moved in with Uncle Tony and the team."

"Are- are you," she searched for words. "Did he break up with you?" Her dad seemed so sad it broke her heart.

"No," he would never accept a break up. "We are still together, we just don't live together anymore."

She lay down on the bed, inhaling Clint's scent. It was comforting, it reminded her of the days when she was a child. She felt safe in his arms, no one was allowed to touch her when she was sad or scared but Clint, and her dad of course.

"Why Kate?" Phil needed a reason, he was sure Clint knew what was going on but the archer kept things like that to himself. Suffering in silence.

"He didn't protect you," she whispered, "he promised to protect you but he didn't. He got you killed, leading the enemy inside the ship."

"Loki controlled his mind Kate. He would have done anything to protect me if he had the chance. But Loki made the decisions for him."

"He could have fought harder," she sniffed moving her hand up to her dad's heart, touching the scar on his bare chest.

"He couldn't Kate," he took her hand and held it tight against his chest. "He blames himself enough without you reminding him about his so called failure. Did you know that he wakes up at night screaming my name? Screaming your name? Fighting off invisible enemies inside his mind?"

She knew her dad and Clint had nightmares on a regular basis but she didn't know the reason. They always had them and no one ever talked about it. One morning she saw Clint walk into the kitchen with a split lip. Her dad fussed over him all day, telling him over and over again how sorry he was. She asked Clint while he tucked her in that night if they had a fight, she heard about parents hitting each other at school but the archer gave her a gentle smile and said that her dad had a nightmare and accidently hit him because he tried to wake him up.

"I didn't know that," she moved closer to her dad snuggling against his side.

"He loves you Kate," Phil kissed the top of her head. "In spite of his own insecurity and lack of experience where family life is concerned he tried to learn and provide all you need. I think he did a very good job, he still does." Clint was a huge child himself but he grew up a lot while he tried to be a father. He learned that he had to be reliable, he learned that his demise would break their hearts, he learned to accept and offer comfort.

"I can't shake the feeling that he failed us." She was angry for a long time, although she didn't put all the blame on Clint. He was just an easy target because he never fought back. "I'm angry at Loki too, and I'm angry at Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor and Nat, and I'm angry at you for sacrificing your life."

"That's the life we chose Kate, hard as it is dying is practically part of our job description," it was the price they were willing to pay for the lives of their families and for the sake of the world. "Something you'd better understand is that a career as agent or hero, or in Clint's case both, is dangerous. That's why Clint tried to stop you the other day, because he knew you could die out there."

"I don't want to die," she whispered. Her dad and Clint were heroes in her eyes just like the Avengers. She knew it was dangerous, she knew they got hurt but she never believed that one day they might vanish from her life. Going out to save the town and never coming back.

"Me neither," Phil confessed. "But for you I would."

"Don't say that," she closed her eyes. "Don't ever say that again."

She fell asleep in her dad's arms, dreaming from monsters, heroes and a happy childhood.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Phil," Clint beamed at his handler. "Mission accomplished, sir." He was happy to see his lover.

"Report?" The older man raised a brow.

"Here," Clint handed over the paperwork. He worked hours on it to do it right, "Dinner?"

"Sorry, but I have to supervise Carol's new team." Phil flipped through the report, "what have I done to deserve a flawless record? No, scratch that. What have you done to feel the need to deliver a flawless report?" It was meant as a joke but the expression on his lover's face told him that he took it to heart, "Dinner." Phil got up and took Clint into his arms, "What's going on, Clint?"

"I miss you," Clint hugged him tight. "The mission was not the same without your voice in my ear." His lover made the right decision to stay in New York and not travel around the world anymore after his near death experience but he missed Phil.

"I miss you too," Phil rubbed Clint's back. "Kate and I had a talk the day you moved out. I know what she blames you for."

"That was two weeks ago," Clint had left three days after he moved in with his team. Fury gave him a mission in Syria. The archer suspected that Nick tried to get Clint's mind off of his family for a while.

"It's not your fault," he placed butterfly kissed along Clint's jaw.

"It is," he tilted his head to the side to grant Phil better access. "But it's okay, I have to live with that and I can do that."

"Are you sure?" His hand wandered from Clint's back to his ass.

"Yeah," he gasped as Phil's hard on pressed against his groin. Clint pushed Phil gently away, taking the older man by surprise. The archer locked the door before he got onto his knees in front of his handler.

"Clint," Phil caressed Clint's cheek. "Don't."

"I want to," he opened Phil's belt and yanked off his pants before he gave Phil a blow job to remember. Coulson didn't last long and offered to return the favor but to his surprise Clint declined.

"I love you, sir." He smiled wiping cum from his mouth, "dinner?"

Phil eyed him for a moment before he nodded, "You do know that you're not my whore right?"

Clint gave him a funny look, "Of course I know."

"Just want to make sure," their sex life was a little faulty since the attack. Clint avoided taking off Phil's shirt, he rarely touched his chest at all. Sometimes Phil succeeded getting them both completely naked but not as often as he would like. Whenever Clint got that lonely look Phil could be sure to get sex or a blow job. The archer needed body contact to feel loved and wanted. It wasn't all about sex, they spent many evenings cuddling in bed or on the couch, enjoying being close. Clint couldn't handle loneliness very well. Countless people entered and left his life, pretending to like him, taking what he offered or simply to have someone they could treat badly.

"I'm lonely," he looked right through his lover of ten years. "I have the team but it's not the same."

"I thought Steve coddling you was worth a little vacation," he had seen Cap coddle the archer and it was an adorable sight. Steve felt accountable for Clint since the day they met. Phil had no idea why but suspected that Steve wasn't so naive and unworldly as they tend to think.

"He's not you, or Kate," Her name was almost a whisper. "Are you okay?

"We don't fight anymore, to tell the truth we barely talk at all." He felt Clint tense next to him, "It has nothing to do with you."

"I caused it," he felt guilty. "I'm destroying your father-daughter relationship."

"No you don't," Phil's tone was hard. "I'm unhappy, she's unhappy and you're unhappy."

Clint bit on his bottom lip, "maybe I should leave for good."

Phil stopped so suddenly the secretary who walked behind them almost ran into them, "What was that?"

Clint stared at his own feet avoiding Phil's penetrating gaze, "it might be better if I leave. The west coast initiative could use a new member."

"You're not going anywhere. Do you understand?" Phil forced his lover to look at him, "Do you understand?"

"Yessir."

"No, no yessir. Yes, Phil." Coulson's voice broke.

"Yes, Phil," he said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I keep an eye on you, I will know about it before you even know you're ready to bolt."

Clint took a shaky breath, "can we skip dinner and cuddle on the sofa in your office."

"Skipping dinner is not an option but we can cuddle while I read a few reports."

"Deal," his smile returned. Not as bright as it used to be but honest.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Fuck, what the hell is that?" Clint took off his vest and shirt. "That's disgusting."

"Lizard snot," Tony came into the living room after taking a shower. The lizard they fought was spitting slimy snot.

"Yeah, I forgot," Clint mocked. "Urgh."

"Hey Kate what are you doing here?" Tony noticed her.

She stood behind Steve in the doorway, "pay you a visit?" she deadpanned.

"You sound like your dad," Tony shivered.

She ignored Tony's statement, her eyes were glued to Clint's back. Clint put on his dirty shirt to block her view on his back.

"Hungry?" Steve asked, sensing the tension between them.

"I'm starving," she faked a smile.

"I'm taking a shower," Clint announced fleeing the scene.

"Where are these scars from?" She asked Steve while he made dinner.

"From the attack," he was surprised she didn't know about them.

"What happened?"

"Jumped off of a high tower to save our asses and crashed through a glass facade. He landed in shards which cut open his back."

"I didn't know he got hurt," she tried to remember any sign that indicated that Clint got hurt but couldn't come up with anything.

"He's good at pretending," Steve's gaze was fixed on the pan. "We forced him to get his back checked out. He got a few stitches here and there, most of them not deep enough to require much attention. They left their marks though. I'm not so sure your dad knows about them."

She traced patterns on the table with his fingertips.

"Why are you here?" Tony dropped the question they all had on their minds.

Why was she here? One month had passed since their fall out and she did what she mostly did since then. She hid in her room after school; sitting on her bed arms wrapped around her drawn up knees, making herself as small as possible. She missed Clint, dearly. She wondered if he felt as lonely as she felt since he left. He was always so cheerful, making her dinner, helping with her homework, making her laugh. She had nothing to laugh about anymore. Her dad was sad, she could see it in his eyes whenever he thought she wasn't looking. He treated her not differently, she admired that but his aura changed. He wasn't happy, he was lonely too. Tossing and turning in his bed haunted by nightmares and no one around able to keep them at bay.

Her day at school had been particularly bad today, her grades suffered under the situation. She couldn't concentrate and her teacher yelled at her. Normally Clint would sneak into her room and sit down on her bed, putting a hand on her shoulder. They would sit there in silence until she was ready to tell him what made her sad. After listening to her he would offer comfort, telling her that it would be alright, hugging her, telling her that life could be difficult but was worth the effort. And then he would kiss her temple and leave her alone to sort out her thoughts.

What truly broke her today was the bow in the corner of her room. He gave it to her a few years ago, she wanted to learn archery because Hawkeye was cool. But she had to realize that it was more than that. It was her way to stay connected with the archer. Clint often vanished for days or weeks and the bow was her tie to him. She could hear and feel him when she practiced. But Clint wasn't gone, he wasn't on a mission, he was on the other side of town living with her uncles because she couldn't keep her damn mouth shut. Hurting one of the most important persons in her life. He was her daddy. Not by blood but he should be by choice. "Taking him home. Dad needs him."

"Only your dad?" Tony crossed his arms in front of his chest. "It's not that easy kid."

"But not impossible," she lowered her gaze. As far as she knew her dad had seen Clint twice this week outside of work. Because free time was reserved for Kate. That was not okay.

"You should talk," Steve placed the food in front of her. "He loves you Kate."

"I know," she whispered. "I know."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Steve decided that it was Clint's duty to take Kate home.

"Clint?" She asked after a while, Tony suggested that they should walk because it was such a beautiful day.

"Yes, Kate?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Do you miss dad?" _Do you miss me?_

"Of course I miss you," he sounded offended.

"But you left," it was all so different without him.

He misunderstood her intention, "I offered to leave the state but your dad won't let me go."

"You what?"

"I don't think me moving out is enough to save your relationship with your dad but he thinks otherwise. Almost got into my face as I suggested it."

"What makes you think you're destroying our relationship?"

"You fight more often, he grounds you more often. I saw you two the other day you don't look happy and he said you're not talking anymore. I don't want that. I don't want to destroy what you have."

"Is it about you being an orphan?" She winced as Clint closed his eyes for a moment.

"Look Kate, I might be a terrible stepdad but your dad is a real good father. My dad beat the shit out of me, putting me into the hospital more than once while my mom stood back. I don't want that for you, a child deserves happiness and love. An intact family life. And all I can see since Loki's attack is that I'm dragging you down."

"Come home," she stepped closer to him. "Clint come home."

His eyes widened, "What?"

"We need you," she confessed. "Dad is so sad and lonely."

"Oh," he gave her a pained smile. "We will see."

"Clint," she whined, "AHH." She yelled in surprise as Clint pushed her aside. Six men closed in around them.

"Hawkeye," a burly man with a bluish tint to his skin sneered. "How nice of you to bring the agent's daughter along."

Clint drew his combat knife taking Kate by surprise. She had seen him handle his bow but never a knife. "Stay away from her."

"Let's make a deal. Give us Coulson's daughter and we let you go."

"Over my dead body," Clint was ready to fight, "I will protect her with my life, and I'm persistent."

"So be it," they jumped at Clint. The archer cut a man's throat and broke another man's neck before he disarmed the fourth one and shot the fifth.

Kate watched in awe as her stepdad fought like a pro. She realized that he was a pro, he wasn't a hero he was a killer who chose the way of a hero.

"Come," Clint grabbed her hand and dragged her through dirty alley ways. "He's near."

"I-I, I can't see him," she stuttered out of breath.

"Roof, second building to our right," knives and bullets were useless against the guy, he had tried.

Clint breathed heavily, he caught a bullet to the abdomen, "We have to find a safe place. Stark or HQ, the guy is a mutant. The police doesn't stand a chance." He gave her his phone, "call your dad."

She noticed the blood on his hand which made the phone slippery, "You're hurt."

"Don't worry, had worse," he smiled at her. "Call your dad and I will keep him away as long as I can." He jumped up the fire ladder, leaving her behind with his phone in hand.

She hastily dialed her dad's number and told him what she knew was going on, "he's hurt dad. He's hurt." Phil promised to come and pick them up with an army and the Avengers in tow.

Clint returned before she reached the end of the alley, "He's busy for a while. Come." He glued the guy to the roof with one of Tony's new toys he found in the pocket of his jacket. The billionaire gave it to him a few days ago to test it. Obviously, it was working.

"Dad is on his way," she tried to get a look at his wound.

"There is not enough time for that," he swatted her hand away. "Do you see the crossroad?"

"Yes."

"There is a security camera, Tony watches the whole area and there's a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. Reach the crossroad and you're safe," he panted fumbling for something under his shirt. "Do me a favor. Give that to him okay? Tell your dad I'm sorry, he will understand."

"Come," she tugged on his hand. "I'm not leaving you."

"RUN," he pushed her. A green frog like guy dangled from the wall and took Clint into a stranglehold, "run," he repeated with a smile.

She ran and ran and ran until she reached the crossroad, almost running into a car. She looked frantically around, searching for Clint and her family. Clint knew the guy was there, he got caught because he wanted to get caught. He wasn't surprised as the guy wrapped his arms around his neck.

"KATE," Phil jumped out of his SUV followed by Sitwell and Hill. "Sweety are you alright?" He checked her for injuries.

"They caught him, we have to find him."

"Check his tracker," Phil ordered. "Tell me what happened okay? Every detail."

She told him everything, crying her eyes out.

"Good job," Phil stroke her tears away with his thumbs. "I'm proud of you."

"Proud of me?" She yelled, "He let himself getting caught to protect me. He killed at least five people I know about defending me. He ran around for half an hour bleeding out."

"Kate, Kate, listen to me," Phil urged. "He's strong and he knows what he's doing. He does that all the time."

"Getting shot and kidnapped?"

"Ninth time during the last ten years."

She realized that her dad wasn't joking, Clint got abducted nine times during their life together without her knowing it. "And hurt? Aside from his back. I saw them today."

"It's not the right time to tell you about that," Phil knew about the scars too. He could feel them beneath his hands whenever he touched his lover. Clint was ashamed of them, they reminded him of his failure. In Clint's opinion the glass engraved his sins onto his back.

"Here," she remembered the necklace she clutched in her hands. She held it up, getting a good look at it. Bloodstained dog-tags.

Phil's hand trembled while he reached for the chain, "No."

"He says he's sorry and that you know what he means," her eyes were glued on her dad's face. She could see tears in his eyes and a tension she wasn't familiar with, "What does it mean?"

"He thinks he's dying," Phil gritted out. "I gave him my dog-tags the day he decided to move out with the order to take care of them."

_And now he's giving it back_, it felt like a heavy weight was pressing down on her chest.

"Found his signal," Tony hovered over them.

"Then let's get him back," Phil hissed drawing his gun. "Captain America would you be so kind and protect my daughter while I get my man back?"

"Sure thing, sir." Steve ushered Kate into a SUV. She had never seen her dad that way. Icy cold and steel in his gaze. He was angry and would beat the stuffing out of the kidnappers.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Clint woke up to a hit to the face, "Wake up." A green guy said.

The archer spit out some blood, "Codename: Hawkeye, that's all I will tell you," he said. His wrists and ankles were bound to a chair. The room was cold and illuminated by artificial light. No windows, one door, one light switch, two neon tubes, no furniture beside the chair he was bound to. Three men in total, the green guy, someone who had an unhealthy addiction to his taser, Coulson would love him, and the guy with the bluish skin. Or rather bluish bloody, seemed like the glue cost him some skin.

"Where is your boss's pretty girl?" The king-sized smurf asked.

"Codename: Hawkeye, eye color blue," Clint grinned.

"Funny," the guy hit him. "Call me S.H.I.E.L.D.'s entrance codes."

"Now you're the funny one," the archer was ready for the next hit. "What do you want with the kid anyway?"

"Blackmailing your boss into granting us access into S.H.I.E.L.D." The green one blurted out.

"You do know we change the codes the moment we grab her and shoot you." This time the guy punched him in the gut, close to the gunshot wound. He groaned in pain, blinking furiously to get rid of the dark spots. He had to fight against unconsciousness, he knew he would die otherwise.

"To be honest," the smurf began, "it's personal. He killed my brother and I want his daughter's head."

Clint clenched his jaw, "no one lays a hand on her without getting killed."

"You won't see that day," taser guy shocked him with a huge smirk.

Clint screamed as his muscles constricted, he took a few deep breaths after the pain subsided. He couldn't do this any longer, he lost too much blood and would go into shock soon. Hitting and tasing him hustled things on. "You don't stand a chance," he was sure.

"Famous last words," smurfy sneered. "No one is coming for you, kid. You will die here. But you were right you are persistent."

"They're coming," Clint sneered back. "And they will rip you apart." He was sure they were on their way, Phil wouldn't leave him behind. He might be busy with Kate but he would at least send a team to collect him. His vision blurred and he felt cold, it was time to go.

A sudden movement in front of the door caught his attention, someone was there.

"What's so funny asshole," the green guy punched the smirk out of Clint's face.

"Next time, pay better attention to whom you kidnap," he tried to stay conscious.

"What?" The door burst open and agents streamed into the room with Coulson leading the way. Clint fell in love all over again, his lover was beautiful.

It didn't take long until the three goons kissed the feet of the agents, "Coulson." The blue guy hissed. The agent ignored him and cut the ropes around Clint's wrists and ankles, "Hang on. Do you hear me? Hang on."

His eyes widened as Coulson kissed the archer, that was what Hawkeye meant. They kidnapped Coulson's lover without knowing it.

"Take them into custody, I'll deal with them later," Phil followed the EMT's out of the room. Seething inwardly. He wanted nothing more than shoot them on the spot but Clint needed him. The archer was more important than his revenge. For now.

Phil held his lover's hand during the ride to medical, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Inwardly he was breaking apart. The archer was pale and cold, covered in blood and bruises, "Hang on, love. Hang on."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"He's waking up," Kate sounded excited. "Dad, dad."

"Shh," Phil hushed. "Don't scare him."

"I'm not scaring him, I'm greeting him," she pouted. Three days had passed since they brought him back, three days of worrying, crying and praying. She saw the paramedics and hurried into medical and stopped dead in her tracks. Her stepdad was so still and white, blood covered his clothes and part of his face. She puked into the next trashcan.

He didn't look much different now from back then except that they washed the blood off of him. It reminded her of the time her dad lay in a coma after Loki's attack.

On the first day she had asked Phil why he was so composed and not freaking out. He explained that he spent too much time in here watching over Clint to really freak out anymore. He was agitated and scared but he just sat there and watched, clinging to Clint's hand. That was their ritual whenever one of them ended up hurt.

"Phil?" Clint tried to open his eyes. He knew he was in medical, he could hear the heart monitor and smell the disinfectant .

"I'm here," he smiled, kissing his forehead. "You scared us."

"Sorry," he reached for the cup of water but Phil was faster and helped him drink.

"KATE?" His mind raced, setting off the heart monitor.

"I'm here," she stepped into his line of vision. "I'm fine."

They tried to calm him down, with gentle touches and soothing words. The nurse wasn't too happy with them but let them stay.

"Thank you for saving me," Kate sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You're my baby girl," he smiled briefly before he realized what he had said.

She could see the confusion on his face and her dad had explain that Clint was under the influence of pain medication, "I'm your baby girl?" It warmed her heart.

"You're Phil's baby girl," he corrected. "I'd love to be your dad. You're a good kid, and smart. Be glad you're not mine."

That made her cry, "You're not stupid. You're damn smart, uncle Tony told me stories and uncle Steve too. And I now first hand that you're not dumb. I chose to be mean to you because you never fight back. It was easy to hate you."

"I'm used to it, I gave up fighting back ages ago."

"Get some rest Clint, we will be here when you wake up," he kissed his lover's lips. "And I have the ring you're waiting for."

Clint's sleepy eyes brightened for a moment before his eyelids dropped, "About time, sir." He whispered.

"Sleep well daddy," she pecked him on the cheek. "We keep the nightmares away, okay?"

They could see his mouth form the word daddy but he was already too far gone to say them out loud. He fell asleep with a content smile on his face and their love in his heart.

The End


End file.
